Player News - Raiders

The NFL was expected to make a ruling on Smith's reinstatement last week but obviously that didn't happen. After finally getting a face-to-face with Goodell, Smith's status should be determined in relatively short order. Smith has been serving an indefinite suspension following repeated violations of the league's substance abuse policy. The former first-team All-Pro hasn't played an NFL snap in over a year.

Jalen Richard rushed six times for 29 yards in the Raiders' Week 14 loss to the Chiefs.

Richard was just a changeup behind Latavius Murray, who carried the ball 22 times. Richard was on the field for some important snaps late, but it wasn't an indictment of Murray's play. Murray was the Raiders' best offensive player this evening. Richard is a nice COP back, but has zero standalone value.

Yowza. Some of Roberts' missed connections were poor throws from Derek Carr, but two were egregious third-down drops that killed drives. It was a really poor performance, one that arguably altered the game. Roberts won't have WR5 appeal against the Chargers in Week 15.

Crabtree also seemed to injure his left hand late, but returned to the game after missing a few plays. There wasn't a whole lot Crabtree could do on an evening where Derek Carr was misfiring left and right. Amari Cooper had a legitimately bad game, but the same can't be said for Crabtree. He'll bounce-back as a high-end WR2 against the Chargers in Week 15. The Raiders' entire offense should be much better.

Latavius Murray rushed 22 times for 103 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders' Week 14 loss to the Chiefs.

The 100-yard rushing effort was just Murray's second of the season. He should have gotten the rock 30 times, as he was the Raiders' only means of moving the ball on a frigid evening in Kansas City. Fantasy owners will take it all the same. The score was Murray's 12th of the year, and fourth in three games. He's finally re-established himself as the Raiders' bell-cow, and is primed for a big finish to the season. The Chargers are not an imposing Week 15 matchup.

This is a game the second-year wideout would like to have back. Cooper caught two extremely lucky breaks in the first half. A should-have-been fumble was ruled an incomplete pass, and Cooper's offensive pass interference in the end zone was called defensive pass interference. His luck ran out after the break, as he committed one of the most baffling non-catches in recent memory. With Derek Carr scrambling out of the pocket to deliver a nearly-perfect deep strike, Cooper somehow lost the ball in flight. It was an inexcusable play, one that cost the Raiders a 72-yard touchdown. Cooper keeps inventing new ways not to score. He's now been held below 60 yards in five straight games, and below 30 in 2-of-3. The Chargers aren't a stay-away matchup for Week 15, but Cooper is a volatile fantasy option right now.

At least for one week, the MVP talk will be put on ice. Carr's 2.85 yards per attempt was the second lowest in NFL history for a quarterback attempting at least 40 passes. With the temperature checking in at "frigid plains," Carr was noticeably bothered by his pinkie injury. He flat missed throws all evening. This being the Raiders, however, he was also hurt by a number of awful drops/misconnections, none worse than Amari Cooper's baffling inability to haul in a would-be 72-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It's a score that would have changed the game, and kept Carr out of the history books. With his finger an issue, the Raiders' 10-day break couldn't be coming at a better time. Carr has a get-right Week 15 matchup in the Chargers.

Raiders LG Kelechi Osemele (illness) is inactive for Week 14 against the Chiefs.

Osemele couldn't get healthy on a short week. It's a big blow for what's been one of the league's top offensive lines. Osemele has been worth every penny as a free agent this year. He should be back for Week 15. Inactive for the Raiders are QB Connor Cook, CB Antonio Hamilton, S Karl Joseph, DT Darius Latham, LB Shilique Calhoun and DT Stacy McGee.

Derek Carr (thumb) is expected to continue operating exclusively out of the shotgun in Thursday's game against the Chiefs.

The Raiders' offense has been 100 percent shotgun since Carr injured his pinkie in Week 12. It wasn't an issue on Sunday against the Bills, and shouldn't be against the Chiefs on Thursday. Carr's main Week 14 concerns are Justin Houston and frigid temperatures.

Latavius Murray has set season highs in touches and playing time in back-to-back weeks.

The Raiders opened the season using a four-way committee involving Murray, Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington, and Jamize Olawale. The RBBC has since been downsized to Murray and Richard, with Murray logging snap rates of 66 and 70 percent the past two weeks on touch totals of 22 and 23. Richard is now the primary change-of-pace back, while Washington has been a healthy scratch and Olawale isn't getting much work anymore. You can read more facts like this in our Thursday Night Matchup breakdown at the link below.

The Oakland defense has recorded multiple turnovers in four consecutive games.

The Raiders D/ST has racked up 10 sacks in those same four games, producing at least seven fantasy points in each contest. Oakland went 4-0 on the four-game homestand, and their defense is beginning to show signs of life after a sluggish start to the season. The Raiders D/ST will be a mid-range fantasy option in Week 14 at Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs, who have turned the ball over just 11 times in 2016.

Someone "fell on it" in Sunday's win over the Bills. Joseph thinks he has a "shot" to suit up Thursday night against the Chiefs, but it's sounding very unlikely. Nate Allen is the next man up on the depth chart.

Joseph has been solid in pass coverage since being promoted to the starting lineup in Week 3. The 14th overall pick in this year's draft has graded out as PFF's No. 35 safety out of 89 qualifiers. His status for Thursday night against the Chiefs is up in the air. Nate Allen replaced him on Sunday.

He began practicing on Monday and will have 21 days to be activated from the I.R. list. If the Raiders can get back Edwards and suspended pass rusher Aldon Smith ahead of the playoffs, it will only make Oakland better.